A NORTH EAST MP caught up in a late-night row in a curry house about his wife having an affair has been cleared of punching a constituent and using threatening language.

Ex-miner Ronnie Campbell faced common assault and harassment charges after diner Graeme Gillespie was punched in the face in an Indian restaurant in Blythe, Northumberland, in June last year.

The Labour MP for Blyth Valley was dining with his son Aidan, 22, when they became involved in an incident with the alleged victim's companion Denise Longman.

Following a two-day trial, magistrates took one hour to clear the politician of punching Mr Gillespie after they heard evidence from waiter Shaz Miah, 20, who told them it was in fact Aidan who delivered the blow.

Mr Campbell was enjoyinga mea, after an evening at the races when a drunken female constituent began to abuse him and his family.

Whenhis son Aidan got up to remonstrate with the woman, Campbell, followed him to her table to try to calm down the situation.

In a police interview read out to the bench MrCampbell said Mrs Longman had abused him before saying his wife Deirdre had had an affair.

He told police: "My wife did unfortunately have an affair. She (Mrs Longman) did mention Dave Stephens, leader of Blyth Valley Council. "She called my wife a slag. My son couldn't take any more and he jumped up."

Mr Campbell told officers his son, who was later bound over with Mrs Longman, had leapt on top of Mr Gillespie.

The MP, who told police he was 5ft 10ins and weighed sixteen and a half stone, said he may have shoved Mr Gillespie to break up the fight.

Witness Victoria Sellars had told the court she saw Campbell, a former miner, was, "purple with rage".

During the police interview he pointed out he had a birthmark on his cheek and a naturally ruddy complexion.

When he was told Mr Gillespie had suffered facial injuries and doctors said he had suffered damage to the eye, Mr Campbell said it sounded like a black eye, before adding: "I have had many myself." Speaking outside South East Northumberland Magistrates Court, Mr Campbell, who has been an MP for 15 years, said he had not been put off visiting the restaurant.

"Mr Miah uses a special mustard seed you see," he laughed.